How is situs assessed in fetal echocardiography?

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Multiple Choice

How is situs assessed in fetal echocardiography?

The main idea is to determine the left–right arrangement of the fetal viscera. In a normal arrangement (situs solitus), the stomach bubble is seen on the left, the liver sits on the right, and the heart apex points toward the left chest. By checking these landmarks during routine ultrasound views (including the abdominal and four-chamber views), you establish the fetal situs. If the stomach appears on the right, the liver on the left, and the heart apex to the right, that indicates situs inversus; any discordant or ambiguous organ positions raise concern for heterotaxy. This approach directly assesses situs because it relies on where the major organs lie relative to the body’s left-right axis, unlike placental position, skull measurements, or lung volume, which do not inform situs.

The main idea is to determine the left–right arrangement of the fetal viscera. In a normal arrangement (situs solitus), the stomach bubble is seen on the left, the liver sits on the right, and the heart apex points toward the left chest. By checking these landmarks during routine ultrasound views (including the abdominal and four-chamber views), you establish the fetal situs. If the stomach appears on the right, the liver on the left, and the heart apex to the right, that indicates situs inversus; any discordant or ambiguous organ positions raise concern for heterotaxy. This approach directly assesses situs because it relies on where the major organs lie relative to the body’s left-right axis, unlike placental position, skull measurements, or lung volume, which do not inform situs.

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